Searching For You
by catheriney2004
Summary: Seven people,three feathers, and three coincidential meetings at three different places and three different times. Two pairs made for each other, but with no choice but to be apart. What will happen when all of these things come together one day? RxR
1. Chapter 1: Explanatory and DONE!

**Summary:** Things are not always going to be the same for the two newcomers at Alice Academy. Being the previous heartthrobs at the mysterious school of Devia Academy, they expect nothing different from the girls of this new prestigious school. But the mysterious Kaito Sakura of this strange place just keeps stealing the attention from them with his rare, and equally powerful, B.O.S.S. Alice. (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) But who exactly is this person, and what secret is he hiding? And is he even a guy?

Natsume came to Alice Academy to pursue the beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with a year before. He had no idea why she had left him so suddenly, and he couldn't stand thinking about her, until he finally found out where she had taken refuge to: Alice Academy. Here's when the wild chase starts, and will Natsume ever find his beloved Mikan through all the obstacles he encounters? And what about that Kaito Sakura? Who is he?

**Catheriney2004:** So, guys, I just got a new idea! Aren't you happy for me? (new idea dance) I know this is kind of copying off of other people's ideas, but hey! You know what?! There are about 5,000 different stories about Mikan cross-dressing, right? (laughs) Well, here you go, guys!

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A glossy, black limousine slid discreetly on the crunching rubble, sending countless pebbles and atoms of dust askew. It was 4:00 in the morning, and the destination of the passengers was to the most prestigious school in the world – Alice Academy, the school of the "gifted."

Before the wheels of the shimmering vehicle ceased their endless turning, the door of the sleek, black automobile clicked dully open, and a 16-year-old boy with crimson eyes and hair like a raven's feathers stepped out of the limo, his eyes dull and emotionless, like an age-old ruby. He looked calmly around the driveway as another boy stepped out of the same car, with flowing, blond hair. It slipped stealthily over his kind face, and he brushed it away with a calm swipe of his sleeved arm. He looked over at his companion, his aquamarine eyes calm and serene, like the depths of the waters in the ocean. He said,

"So this is our new school, huh, Natsume?"

The raven-haired boy didn't answer his trivial question directly and merely turned on his heels, his expensive, stylish sneakers grinding the black pebbles of the driveway. Only one syllable of sound was emitted from his lips.

"Hm."

The blond-haired boy simply smiled helplessly at the nonchalance of his silent friend, and he picked up his lone suitcase and trailed close behind his friend, right through the gates of Alice Academy, the one school that would change both of their lives forever.

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A excited, frenzied scream went up into the air as the heavy front doors swung open, revealing two figures that every person in Alice academy knew very well about, whether they liked it or not. These were the two only special stars of the academy, with the unbelievable B.O.S.S. Alice (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) and the prestigious technology Alice at their control. Yes, they were Kaito Sakura and Hotaru Imai, the two most famous Alice wielders of the Alice world.

Amazing, hazel, shimmering eyes looked calmly out into the crowd of crazed girls and jealous boys, not an eyelash out of place on that unblemished face. Sleek, amber hair swept softly over the boy's shoulders, small wisps flying discreetly over his smooth cheeks, softly sliding over his lips.

The girls all screamed and covered their faces in awe, smearing some of the ridiculous make-up that they had applied in overdoses to try to impress this famous heartthrob. Some girls threw themselves in his direction, trying to grasp his uniform; they were trying desperately to get some of his "magical touch."

Being the famous top student he was, though, Kaito Borrowed one of the crowd's Alices (which just happened to be the "Intangible" Alice), and none could touch him in the least bit. All of the girls glared angrily at the girl who had had the Alice for him to copy, and they turned back to him, their eyes still full of adoration and a sickening love for him that had no good reason other than for his good looks.

Hotaru Imai, on the other hand, stood silently behind him, throwing glares at all of the stupid fan girls, her short, black hair bristling near her neck. Her infamous Baka Cannon 2005 sat silently on her arm, the buttons of the machine whirring dangerously, signaling the charging of power that it got from the sun. The girls immediately backed nervously away from the weapon at first glance, but as soon as they were out of its frightening range, they began to back-stab Hotaru with no restrictions, their eyes full of hate for the only girl that Kaito was attached to.

There had always been sneaky rumors about Kaito and Hotaru, saying that they were a couple, or an item, and that had never failed to reach their ears within an hour or so, thanks to Hotaru's useful cameras that had been stationed all around the school as a precaution. They had never truly seemed to mind these trivial rumors, and they had simply shaken their heads at the stupidity of the people of this school, for they were the only ones who knew about Kaito's secret.

He was a girl.

And her name was Mikan Sakura.

When they had arrived together at the academy from their previous school, Devia Academy, as a boy and a girl, there had been a reason for Mikan's cross-dressing.

At their previous school, Mikan had fallen in love with a boy named Natsume Hyuuga. They had met under a blossoming Sakura tree one summer day, and they had immediately become the perfect match for each other.

They had loved each other very much, until one day, something happened that would change her life forever. Torn with pain and grief, she had taken off with her best friend, Hotaru, and had flown to Alice Academy in Tokyo. By the time she stepped foot out of the plane on that clear, summer day, she had already changed herself into someone she never thought she would be.

A boy.

And so, that was the birth of Kaito Sakura.

But that was also the death of a much-loved Mikan Sakura.

And so they were here today, as Kaito Sakura and Hotaru Imai, the two most powerful elites at the school of Alice Academy. This was their secret, and they could tell it to no one.

Because there was no one they could trust.

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**Catheriney2004:** So, guys, how was it? (looks at readers inquiringly) Did you like it? Please tell me in a review!

Oh, and by the way, I was listening to "All Around Me" by Flyleaf while I typed this (I switched from my iPod to YouTube 'cause my ears hurt from the earphones. XD), so I was really surprised when it came out this well! I'm sorry if I bored you at the beginning with all of the descriptions, but this is a really good reference to those fanfiction authors out there, and for those that I recommend to be more descriptive! Thanks so much for reading, and please try my other fanfictions, too, if you have some time to spare!

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**Also read and review:**

**Sakura Flower –**

Mikan Sakura is a very advanced Alice user, and possesses many Alices, dues to the fact that she originally had the Nullification Alice and the Stealing Alice. She has enrolled herself in Alice Academy for unknown reasons. When Mikan starts going to Alice Academy, she becomes a popular idol of those around her, due to her smarts and beauty. But, where does Mikan disappear off to at night and occasionally at school?

No one knows where Mikan goes except for Hotaru and herself. And all _we_ know is that Mikan's parents have been captured by the AAO, (Anti-Alice Organization) and she is _not_ gonna just sit there and watch them be used. But she has two choices. Take her parents back and let AAO slowly dominate the world? Or kill her parents mercilessly and take the AAO down quickly? Read to find out which road she takes.

**The Cruise – **

Mikan Sakura, daughter of the richest business man and woman in the world, is going on a private, around-the-world cruise with her parents. Or so she thinks. Unfortunately, her parents have invited all of their friends, along with their children. They just happen to be around the same age as Mikan, and are also filthy rich. What will happen between these people? Read to find out.

**A Stumble Into the Olympics –**

Mikan Sakura is looking for a job. She's got the looks, the smarts, and the strength to do just about anything. But she can't find work suitable for her. She's not picky about the jobs or anything, but it's just that whenever is hired for a decent job, the guys always flirt with her! How the heck is she gonna find a job that doesn't involve all of these flirts?! Well, the answer is clear, for one day, she miraculously finds a flyer saying that Natsume Hyuuga, world class Olympic swimmer, is looking for an agent! She immediately goes for the job, and does she get hired? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out.

**Breaking Through the Ice – **

Mikan, a lowly beggar, is in a depressed state. Why live when you can die? She asks herself. Why try when you'll just fail? But those questions just might be washed away when she coincidentally meets a boy by the name of Natsume Hyuuga, who just happens to be a billionaire child-genius. What will happen to these two? Read to find out.

**Only a Burden – **

Mikan Sakura, a 13-year-old female, is a patient at Alice's Hospital – A.K.A the hospital for those who are doomed to die. She writes a poem about her sorrow. A sad story and a lesson to all. One-shot.

**Who I Am Inside – **

Hotaru has hurt Mikan's feelings for the umpteenth time in her life. _Why?_ She asks herself. _Why can't I even be nice to my best friend?_ This is a one-shot that touches the heart to the very core.

**Tainted Water – **

Mikan and Natsume are 16 now, and nothing has changed between them. They're still fighting, fighting, fighting. But whenever Mikan asks him if he likes her even a tiny bit, he always says "No." Mikan feels as if her heart is breaking. But what happens when she writes a poem about lies and tainted water? A short one-shot for those out there who have been lied to.

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! SATISFACTION GUARENTEED!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting Each Other Again

**Summary:** Things are not always going to be the same for the two newcomers at Alice Academy. Being the previous heartthrobs at the mysterious school of Devia Academy, they expect nothing different from the girls of this new prestigious school. But the mysterious Kaito Sakura of this strange place just keeps stealing the attention from them with his rare, and equally powerful, B.O.S.S. Alice. (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) But who exactly is this person, and what secret is he hiding? And is he even a guy?

Natsume came to Alice Academy to pursue the beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with a year before. He had no idea why she had left him so suddenly, and he couldn't stand thinking about her, until he finally found out where she had taken refuge to: Alice Academy. Here's when the wild chase starts, and will Natsume ever find his beloved Mikan through all the obstacles he encounters? And what about that Kaito Sakura? Who is he?

**Catheriney2004: **Hi, guys (Again)! I bet you're all pretty excited to see the next chapter out in such little time, right? (Checks "Updated" date of Searching For You) Or……then again, maybe not "such little time." O-O I'm telling you – I've got a sword! Don't attack me! I have to type the chapter and update, at least! Err……see ya!

**(P.S. I don't own Gakuen Alice, alright? If I did, uh, I'd be speaking Japanese, not fluent English! XD)**

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A slide of the classroom door.

The step of 2 pairs of feet.

Instant chaos.

In moments, there were girls screaming all over the boy that had just entered the previously-quiet classroom, in a flurry of adoration and ignorance; their only goal was to reach _him._ And during the tumultuous stampede, a range of metal desks were knocked over, flying crazily to the sides to who-knows-where. Many boys ducked under their own desks for protection, and they glared, hidden, at the boy that had just stolen all of their attention. The teacher, Narumi-sensei, on the other hand, simply stood, wide-eyed and safe behind the large teacher's desk, waiting for this usual happening to cease.

After fifty full seconds of desperate efforts to try and grasp onto Kaito Sakura, the girls all simply returned to their seats, tired and battered from their constant efforts to push through the mobbing crowd to reach him. Kaito Sakura merely pulled his hair back behind his ear and proceeded to his usual seat in the front of the room – the best one, reserved only for the smartest and most dominant student in the class. Hotaru Imai, another top student, sat directly next to him, earning the usual glares from the other jealous girls. But of course, they immediately retracted when her Baka Cannon 2005 began to recharge again.

Just as Kaito Sakura had settled down in his seat, an obnoxious girl by the name of Luna Koizumi came flouncing down the aisle, her hips bouncing (on purpose, of course) at every step. Many more boys glared malevolently at Kaito in jealousy, but they could only watch silently as the scene went on.

"Hey, Kaito-kun!"

This was Luna's sickening, sweety-sweet greeting towards Kaito. Her eyelashes were batting like they were about to take off, and her hands were clasped together in front of her waist, showing off her recently-manicured fingernails. Hotaru turned away in disgust and detestation for the retarded act Mikan ("Kaito") was getting from the faking-innocent girl, and she scoffed quietly at her face, which was obviously the work of a plastic surgeon. Luna discreetly (Or not-so-discreetly; Mikan saw. XD) glared angrily at the raven-haired technology Alice, and turned back to Kaito (Mikan) with the same honey-sweet, fake smile. She said oh-so-innocently,

"Oh, Kaito, I would just _love_ it if you'd go out to the movies with me today – I've bought tickets for _both _of us, and the drinks will be _my treat._"

It was obvious that she was planning to drug the drinks she "offered" to him and have her own merry way, but Mikan ("Kaito") was much smarter than that. Mikan's ("Kaito's") face twisted slightly in well-hidden anger and horror, but she gritted her teeth hard, and forced out a few civil words.

"Sorry about that – I have some business to attend to after school today," She said calmly, her fingers clenching slightly at her sides in hidden frustration and disgust. _"Urgent_ business," she added quickly as Koizumi attempted to get him (her) to agree.

Luna's "innocent" eyes briefly flashed fire at the rebellious words of her "crush," but then, seeming to resolve her inner plans, she simply smiled sweetly again at him, and flounced off, her hips shaking side to side coquettishly ("Coquettish" means flirty, btw. XD) yet again, and glared anyone that got in her way down.

Hotaru and Mikan ("Kaito") took a silent breath of air as soon as she left, and they glanced at each other in exasperation. Things would be very different if Koizumi had seen Mikan as a girl. Things would be very different.

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As class started, there was a murmur of giggling and gossip flying about the classroom, because KoKo, the class' mind reader Alice, had just recently blurted out that there were two new, hot boys arriving at the school today, and they were from Devia Academy. This aroused many people's interests, for all that attended Alice Academy knew very well that the only other academy with equal power and dominance in the Alice world was Devia Academy. But what were these two new students doing here? Were they spies?

Mikan and Hotaru glanced at each other with their usual bored expressions, but in reality, Mikan had just Borrowed KoKo's useful Alice, and was now speaking through thoughts to her best friend.

'Sounds suspicious, Mikan'

'Yeah, I know, but whatever. It's not like he'd follow me here.'

They both knew exactly who Mikan was talking about when she said "he," and they grimly shook off the question of what would happen if the new student had really been him. Mikan shrugged slightly at Hotaru's slightly worried expression, and returned the Alice to KoKo, who had been confusedly scratching his head at the realization that he could not read anyone's minds, as he usually did in the mornings.

As the Alice shot back to him in less than a blur, he was slightly jolted mentally, and he began to rub his head reverently, frowning slightly. He'd been getting these headaches a lot, lately. He'd have to get Nonoko to cook up some potion for him to drink to cure these weird headaches. Hopefully, it'd work better than the earlier one. He shivered at the thought of the earlier incident when he had gone to her for help.

It's actually best not to continue about it – some things just aren't appropriate to talk about in these sorts of fanfictions. XD

Mikan and Hotaru, noticing his bewilderment and guessing his thoughts, could only chuckle mysteriously at him, and all of the girls that had been hungrily eyeing "Kaito" could only gasp in awe at the rare occurrence they were witnessing, the scene "going on" between Hotaru and "Kaito" burning into their scrawny, useless retinas. They were too dumb to figure out what was _really_ going on, anyways.

And suddenly, the chatter died down as Narumi finally began to raise his voice a bit, slightly irked (but still smiling XD) at their apathy towards his speech, and the class finally took the slightest notice to what he was saying.

"Alright, Minna-san, since you all weren't listening to the earlier things that I was talking about," he chorused gaily, his arms flapping up into the air in his usual excitement and childish behavior, and he continued to tell them what he had been saying earlier. "There is a new student in our class today!"

Many gasps and a chorus of squeals of excitement from the more i---tic girls rang through the thick classroom air, and Narumi-sensei felt a small drip of sweat slide down his forehead as the choruses repeatedly got louder, until he was absolutely sure that he would have no chance of quieting them down. The sweat still sliding down his forehead, he yelled out,

"Bye, Minna-san!"

And walked out of the room; well, actually, more like _skipped _out, leaving Hotaru and Mikan to the laborious job of settling the class down.

But, of course, it didn't really count as laborious to the top elite students of Alice Academy.

Hotaru simply sat and charged her Baka Cannon 2005 (just in case things got ugly XD), and Mikan simply closed her eyes and located a "Mind-control" Alice in the state providence of Virginia, and she Borrowed it immediately, not even flinching at the impact of the Alice flying into her. Immediately understanding how to use it, she brought her hands to her forehead, opened her eyes, and whispered commandingly,

"Sit down and shut your mouths."

Instant effect. Not a millisecond after Mikan had uttered those six demanding words, all of the students in the classroom were sitting down, whether they were in their seats or not. Hotaru watched in amusement at her once-clumsy friend's slight mistake, and chuckled slightly when Mikan groaned at the position that she had left some of her own classmates in. She muttered something else intangible under her breath, and immediately, there was complete order in the class. She smiled slightly, but as soon as she released the class from her control, her face returned to its normal position, and the rest of the class was left blinking and confused for just long enough for her to sit down and resume looking bored.

Mikan discreetly returned the Alice she had Borrowed to the rightful owner, letting the powerful aura that she had abstracted from them shoot from her fingers and back into the person's body. She knew that there would be headaches for this person all day, but otherwise, it was nothing.

And suddenly, remembering the "new students" that Narumi had mentioned, Mikan realized that there were two new, unfamiliar presences in the room, and she narrowed her eyes, suspicious and wary of these two new students. She said coldly,

"You could come out of hiding now, you know."

And the class gasped as two people appeared on the floor, apparently very disgruntled at their new positions. The girls of the room squealed at the two boys' faces, and they began to whisper furiously at each other for all that their tiny brains were worth.

The first boy, who was now gracefully plucking himself off of the floor had crimson black hair, his bangs gracefully grazing over his forehead, half-shadowing his burning, crimson eyes that held nothing but coldness in them.

The other boy, on the other hand, was already standing, a rabbit in his arms, brushing his slightly tight jeans off, bright-blond bangs floating gracefully down in front of his aquamarine eyes. He looked much more well-groomed than the other boy, who did not seem to care the least bit about his appearance.

And suddenly, as the crimson-eyed boy raised his head to look around, he came face-to-face with a now-indifferent pair of brilliant hazel eyes, and his own crimson ones widened in disbelief and shock.

Mikan!?

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**Catheriney2004: **Well, guys, that's it for this time! I 'm really sorry for the huge cliffhanger, but it's late now, and I _have_ to sleep, too, you know! Bye! And

_**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!! **_

_**I WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS, AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!! **_

_**PLEASE!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!! BYE!!**_

_**OH, AND PLEASE DO THE POLL THAT'S IN MY PROFILE!! IT'LL AFFECT HOW MUCH I UPDATE!! **_

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**Also read and review:**

**Sakura Flower –**

Mikan Sakura is a very advanced Alice user, and possesses many Alices, dues to the fact that she originally had the Nullification Alice and the Stealing Alice. She has enrolled herself in Alice Academy for unknown reasons. When Mikan starts going to Alice Academy, she becomes a popular idol of those around her, due to her smarts and beauty. But, where does Mikan disappear off to at night and occasionally at school?

No one knows where Mikan goes except for Hotaru and herself. And all _we_ know is that Mikan's parents have been captured by the AAO, (Anti-Alice Organization) and she is _not_ gonna just sit there and watch them be used. But she has two choices. Take her parents back and let AAO slowly dominate the world? Or kill her parents mercilessly and take the AAO down quickly? Read to find out which road she takes.

**The Cruise – **

Mikan Sakura, daughter of the richest business man and woman in the world, is going on a private, around-the-world cruise with her parents. Or so she thinks. Unfortunately, her parents have invited all of their friends, along with their children. They just happen to be around the same age as Mikan, and are also filthy rich. What will happen between these people? Read to find out.

**A Stumble Into the Olympics –**

Mikan Sakura is looking for a job. She's got the looks, the smarts, and the strength to do just about anything. But she can't find work suitable for her. She's not picky about the jobs or anything, but it's just that whenever is hired for a decent job, the guys always flirt with her! How the heck is she gonna find a job that doesn't involve all of these flirts?! Well, the answer is clear, for one day, she miraculously finds a flyer saying that Natsume Hyuuga, world class Olympic swimmer, is looking for an agent! She immediately goes for the job, and does she get hired? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out.

**Breaking Through the Ice – **

Mikan, a lowly beggar, is in a depressed state. Why live when you can die? She asks herself. Why try when you'll just fail? But those questions just might be washed away when she coincidentally meets a boy by the name of Natsume Hyuuga, who just happens to be a billionaire child-genius. What will happen to these two? Read to find out.

**Only a Burden – **

Mikan Sakura, a 13-year-old female, is a patient at Alice's Hospital – A.K.A the hospital for those who are doomed to die. She writes a poem about her sorrow. A sad story and a lesson to all. One-shot.

**Who I Am Inside – **

Hotaru has hurt Mikan's feelings for the umpteenth time in her life. _Why?_ She asks herself. _Why can't I even be nice to my best friend?_ This is a one-shot that touches the heart to the very core.

**Tainted Water – **

Mikan and Natsume are 16 now, and nothing has changed between them. They're still fighting, fighting, fighting. But whenever Mikan asks him if he likes her even a tiny bit, he always says "No." Mikan feels as if her heart is breaking. But what happens when she writes a poem about lies and tainted water? A short one-shot for those out there who have been lied to.

**Searching for You – **

Things are not always going to be the same for the two newcomers at Alice Academy. Being the previous heartthrobs at the mysterious school of Devia Academy, they expect nothing different from the girls of this new prestigious school. But the mysterious Kaito Sakura of this strange place just keeps stealing the attention from them with his rare, and equally powerful, B.O.S.S. Alice. (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) But who exactly is this person, and what secret is he hiding? And is he even a guy?

Natsume came to Alice Academy to pursue the beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with a year before. He had no idea why she had left him so suddenly, and he couldn't stand thinking about her, until he finally found out where she had taken refuge to: Alice Academy. Here's when the wild chase starts, and will Natsume ever find his beloved Mikan through all the obstacles he encounters? And what about that Kaito Sakura? Who is he?

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! SATISFACTION GUARENTEED!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3: Plans Unraveling

**Summary:** Things are not always going to be the same for the two newcomers at Alice Academy. Being the previous heartthrobs at the mysterious school of Devia Academy, they expect nothing different from the girls of this new prestigious school. But the mysterious Kaito Sakura of this strange place just keeps stealing the attention from them with his rare, and equally powerful, B.O.S.S. Alice. (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) But who exactly is this person, and what secret is he hiding? And is he even a guy?

Natsume came to Alice Academy to pursue the beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with a year before. He had no idea why she had left him so suddenly, and he couldn't stand thinking about her, until he finally found out where she had taken refuge to: Alice Academy. Here's when the wild chase starts, and will Natsume ever find his beloved Mikan through all the obstacles he encounters? And what about that Kaito Sakura? Who is he?

**Catheriney2004:**Yeah, HEY GUYS!!!! XD Sorry I've been gone so long, but I haven't felt in the mood to type/write for a really long time, so you can't blame me!

On with the show!! XD

**Reminder of what happened last time:**

The first boy, who was now gracefully plucking himself off of the floor had crimson black hair, his bangs gracefully grazing over his forehead, half-shadowing his burning, crimson eyes that held nothing but coldness in them.

The other boy, on the other hand, was already standing, a rabbit in his arms, brushing his slightly tight jeans off, bright-blond bangs floating gracefully down in front of his aquamarine eyes. He looked much more well-groomed than the other boy, who did not seem to care the least bit about his appearance.

And suddenly, as the crimson-eyed boy raised his head to look around, he came face-to-face with a now-indifferent pair of brilliant hazel eyes, and his own crimson ones widened in disbelief and shock.

Mikan!?

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"M-mikan?"

The strange boy that had just suddenly appeared into the room stared in bewilderment at the honor student, and no one could figure out what was going on. Of all of the students in the room, only Hotaru could understand what exactly was happening, and she kept her indifferent mask on at all times. Mikan, on the other hand, was still analyzing the situation, quiet and indifferent. There were no leaking holes in their act.

But, then again, love does break through all barriers, right? A shadow fell over Kaito Sakura's face for a split second, but soon cleared away to its usual coldness. Staring blankly over at the new, crimson-eyed boy, he said,

"Who are you talking about? I'm Kaito Sakura, honor student of Alice Academy, which you have had the guts to defy so hastily. State your cause."

Nothing happened for several moments. The crimson-eyed boy simply stared at Kaito Sakura until his surprise melded away into a similar coldness. Standing up, exposing how tall he was, he replied with equal coolness,

"New students, Natsume Hyuuga and Ruka Nogi. We don't need anything to do with you."

It was instantaneous, the next few seconds. Roaring in anger, the girls in the class all lunged forward, attempting to "protect" their hazel-eyed dream boy from the intruder's malicious words. Stepping back a few paces, Kaito and Hotaru simply backed away from the violent scene, their faces still irrelevant to the current chaos. Mikan's glance fell upon Natsume's somewhat surprised face, and she wrenched her gaze away instantly, feeling a sense of betrayal towards herself. Trying to distract herself from the one that she had tried so hard to get away from for a full year, she glanced over at Hotaru, her hazel-brown eyes trying to conceal the complicated feelings that she was feeling. She backed off, however, when she saw her own best friend's deep violet eyes planted on another: Ruka Nogi, her only love. Not wanting to intrude, Mikan felt her chest tighten up as she turned back to the scene.

As keen as she felt to analyze the situation and figure out how to end it, as the class honor student and a struggling, incognito girl in love, Mikan couldn't bring herself to focus her eyes on the scene in the least bit. Squeezing her eyes shut and opening them again, though, she managed to operate on her plans. The girls were all edging in on Natsume, screaming silly things about their love and devotion for the Kaito Sakura person that Mikan barely could bring herself to act as. Instantly, a plan formed in her clever mind.

Standing up suddenly, she put her hand up in a halting motion. In a second, the girls had all stopped and been rooted in their positions, staring hungrily at Mikan. Forcing herself to maintain a calm, composed face, she pushed her hand to the right in the air. The girls standing towards the right side of Natsume and Ruka moved back. She shifted her left hand. The like happened to the girls on the other side. All was silent.

Then, almost majestically, Kaito Sakura, King of Alice Academy, strolled down the straight path that he himself had created, taking his time to measure out the drama of the scene. Mikan knew that she couldn't rush this, or otherwise her cold composure would be ruined. She timed herself carefully as she walked down the short path.

In seven strides or so, Kaito reached the current positioning of Natsume Hyuuga, the new student of Alice Academy. Everything paused for a moment. Then, with a ferocious, frightening speed, Kaito Sakura's hand lashed out at light speed. In less time than in took for any of them to blink, the crimson-eyed boy was left flying across the classroom, with a loud "thunk!" to accompany his smashing against the wall. Ruka, the blonde-haired boy, took a step back with a certain look of fear on his face, for the aura and anger of Kaito Sakura was unreal and frightening. Leaping off in the direction of where Natsume had flown, the escaped the glare of Kaito, and was left to try to stop the bleeding from Natsume's mouth.

Not bothering to glance back at what he had done, the cold Kaito Sakura simply stared at where the boy had been standing without a flash of emotion, and stated coolly,

"That'll show any of you to disrespect the top student in Alice Academy. This place isn't for suckers and useless people like you guys."

And, in a few more moments, both he and Hotaru had left the classroom. Before Hotaru had left the room, she had glanced back, and had simply murmured,

"Class dismissed."

Instantly, everyone backed out of the classroom, all leaving from the door farthest away from the injured, crimson-eyed student and his frightened, blue-eyed companion. At most, they glanced back at him with eyes full of fear and apprehension, but all of them were too afraid to even raise a hand to help him.

Natsume, although limp, was still conscious, though, and heard everything that had been going on. But on the other hand of his still-consciousness and pain, he also felt a large chunk of happiness and success in his mind.

"She slapped me," he thought blankly, his eyes beginning to see stars from the strength of the hit that he took. "She didn't punch me, she slapped me. It's her…"

Darkness engulfed him moments later, and he fell completely limp at Ruka's side. Usagi, forever faithful to Ruka, looked up at Ruka's cerulean-blue eyes. They were troubled, like ripples on pond water. Worried, Usagi nudged Ruka's arm with his long, furry ears. Ruka petted him absentmindedly.

"_I wonder…" _He thought quietly, and he attempted to pick his friend up. He barely moved an inch, but that was enough for Ruka. Putting his fingers to his mouth, he blew hard and shrill, a whistle of calling. Seconds later, great flapping sounds enshrouded the entire classroom, and Ruka pulled Natsume to the windowsill, careful and cautious.

"Katsuki, could you bring Natsume to the nurse's office?" Ruka whispered quietly to his friend, an enormously large hawk. "He needs help as soon as possible."

Tilting its head as if it understood, the hawk gently picked Natsume up with its enormous talons and flew off, leaving three feathers behind to fall.

One, in the classroom.

The second, under a shadowed tree near the upper-classmen area.

The third, carried off on the wind to the Northern Woods, near the Latent-type dorms.

Mikan looked up, as neutral as ever.

"_Huh. Enormous hawks flying around with kids in their talons. What's next, unicorns and flying ponies?" _She thought silently, and a smile crept onto her face. Inside, she felt as if she were melting away and crumpling up, like a piece of paper in the furnace. _"Guess I can't let go of the past that easily after all, huh?" _She thought bitterly, turning her head downwards a little. Kicking a pebble to the side of the road, Mikan strolled down the concrete, taking her time with each solemn step. She was in no hurry to do anything at the moment.

"_Maybe there is such a thing as fate…"_ She thought absentmindedly, and she immediately stopped in her tracks. Her smile widened, bitterly angry. Then, throwing back her head, she laughed out loud at her own thoughts, her eyes squeezed shut from the sun as she had her little moment. Her shrieks of laughter rang out through the campus, all the way to the other dorms.

"_Who's that crying?" _Natsume thought drowsily as he was dropped gently onto the ground in front of the infirmary. _"It sounds like…Mikan…" _

And he drifted off yet again, silently quiet and death-like. Beside him, the hawk groomed itself, nonchalant and without a worry or a coherent thought. What concerned the feelings of humans was a mystery to it, and it didn't mind being clueless about what they were like inside. Ruka was the only exception, and he was to forever be the hawk's king, the one to understand him and be understood.

At this last thought, the hawk shifted its position and took a running start. In moments, it was off the ground, flying off to its nest again.

He would return when his king called him.

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"I am so darn tired."

Tsubasa stared up into the tree leaves, lying on his back on the lowest branch of the largest tree in the upper-classmen section of Alice Academy. He was bored, so bored. So very bored. Groaning wearily, he sat himself up, rubbing his eyes with the side of his hand. His navy-blue hair was ruffled and untidy, and it was pretty much the same thing with his get-up – school uniform, wrinkled and unpolished. He didn't care, though, because either way he was in the shadows of the school. No one could see him there.

"Hey, look, it's that Tsubasa-freak's tree."

He jolted at the whispers that he heard, spinning maliciously like flies in his ears. Tsubasa crouched on his branch and looked down, narrowing his eyes. Another voice responded to the one that he had heard.

"Huh. Never seen his face before – maybe it's so ugly that he's afraid to show it to anybody."

"Haha, Kanamura, that was a good one!"

"What was that?"

The boy's heads snapped up to look into the shadows of the tree leaves, and came face-to-face with the legendary Tsubasa, the boy with a punishment star upon his cheek. Tsubasa's blood was boiling like never before, and he felt like he could have beaten any of these boys to a pulp out of pure anger. His mouth twitching in an attempt to stay sane, he repeated himself.

"What was that?" He said ominously, glaring at the two boys with obvious hate. They trembled in fear of his portentously _(Definition o/portentously: especially or significantly)_ large amount of emanating hate, and one of them stuttered,

"Eheheh, um…we were just passing by, so…"

"Get out," Tsubasa replied coldly, his eyes cold with pure hatred directed at the two unlucky boys. Scrambling to get away from the demon, the two boys flew off to their next classes, afraid and too intimidated to even tell anyone else about their dangerous exploit. Tsubasa, on the other hand, merely stared at the indents of their shoes in the dirt for awhile, but then simply resumed his dawdling about in the tree. He was so bored, bored, and bored. Staring up into the emerald greenness of the tree's leaves, he thought,

"_Why isn't anyone normal towards me? Am I really that ugly?"_

"Nah, don't worry about it."

For the second time in a day, Tsubasa jolted into a sitting position and looked down from his high vantage point, eyes wide and suspicious. Below, there was a guy, simply standing there and looking up at him with cool, hazel-brown eyes. Taking a double-take, Tsubasa blinked and looked down again, wondering if the boy in the lower-classmen's' uniform was really a guy. Long eyelashes, large eyes, and soft-looking hair – these were all the properties of a perfect-looking girl! Blinking several more times, Tsubasa stuttered,

"What?"

"I said, don't worry about it."

The hazel-eyed boy had a smooth, melodic voice that sounded way too high to be a guy's, and Tsubasa's suspicions increased. But, confused about what the supposed guy was repeating, he asked,

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you stupid?"

"What!?" Tsubasa exclaimed at the meticulous coldness in the boy's words, feeling a prickled of annoyance and exasperation at the stranger's tactless words. Jumping down from the tree in anger, he leaped forward and was about to give the stranger some of what he had previously given the other boys, when he was suddenly stopped, nose-to-nose with the most beautiful hazel-brown eyes that he had ever seen. Suddenly weak in the knees, Tsubasa staggered back a step or two. He realized, with a shock, that the boy had not moved one step back at Tsubasa's assault, and neither had his facial expression changed. Swiveling his head to look at the boy's face more clearly, he couldn't believe that his intuition had been right, and that this boy truly did have nerves of steel. Gritting his teeth in bewilderment, he asked,

"Why did you say that?"

Shaking his head in skepticism, the hazel-eyed boy replied,

"Honestly, if I had known that you'd be this stupid, I wouldn't have come over here…Tsubasa-sempai."

The way that the boy said his name with such a formal honorific somehow surprised Tsubasa, and he felt his face flush in some sort of embarrassment. He stuttered,

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The boy with hazel eyes stared at him under long, arched lashes.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know," he muttered quietly, and he walked away, his soft, brunette hair swiveling gracefully in the wind, leaving Tsubasa to stare as a golden-brown feather, soft and silvery like the eyes of the boy, seemed to place itself perfectly between the two of them, right between the shadows of the tree and the light of the sun. Wide-eyed, Tsubasa bent to pick the large feather up, and he faintly heard the boy say,

"North Woods at 100012."

"What!?" Tsubasa couldn't help but yell at the boy as he gripped the feather's base with frustration. Tsubasa briefly saw the hazel-eyed boy's cheek-bones rise a little, the sign of a grin, and Tsubasa stared at the feather with unfocused eyes.

"_North Woods at 100012…"_

"North woods at 10:00 on the twelfth…" He whispered, a faint look of longing in his eyes. "Bandits of the Hidden Code Number 32…"

"_I hope I'm doing the right thing…" _Mikan thought gravely as she walked away, her hazel eyes flickering with memories of the past.

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**Catheriney2004: **Aaaand, CUT! XD Sorry, but I like these kind of chapter-endings!! (does a silly dance) My goal, from now on, is to use a new word for every chapter that I release on fanfiction so that I can heighten my vocabulary even more! ;D I like the idea, and plus, you guys get to learn a new word, too! (Haha, well, hopefully)

Please review, and I hope that you guys will continue to support me!!!

**Also read and review:**

**Sakura Flower –**

Mikan Sakura is a very advanced Alice user, and possesses many Alices, dues to the fact that she originally had the Nullification Alice and the Stealing Alice. She has enrolled herself in Alice Academy for unknown reasons. When Mikan starts going to Alice Academy, she becomes a popular idol of those around her, due to her smarts and beauty. But, where does Mikan disappear off to at night and occasionally at school?

No one knows where Mikan goes except for Hotaru and herself. And all _we_ know is that Mikan's parents have been captured by the AAO, (Anti-Alice Organization) and she is _not_ gonna just sit there and watch them be used. But she has two choices. Take her parents back and let AAO slowly dominate the world? Or kill her parents mercilessly and take the AAO down quickly? Read to find out which road she takes.

**The Cruise – **

Mikan Sakura, daughter of the richest business man and woman in the world, is going on a private, around-the-world cruise with her parents. Or so she thinks. Unfortunately, her parents have invited all of their friends, along with their children. They just happen to be around the same age as Mikan, and are also filthy rich. What will happen between these people? Read to find out.

**A Stumble Into the Olympics –**

Mikan Sakura is looking for a job. She's got the looks, the smarts, and the strength to do just about anything. But she can't find work suitable for her. She's not picky about the jobs or anything, but it's just that whenever is hired for a decent job, the guys always flirt with her! How the heck is she gonna find a job that doesn't involve all of these flirts?! Well, the answer is clear, for one day, she miraculously finds a flyer saying that Natsume Hyuuga, world class Olympic swimmer, is looking for an agent! She immediately goes for the job, and does she get hired? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out.

**Breaking Through the Ice – **

Mikan, a lowly beggar, is in a depressed state. Why live when you can die? She asks herself. Why try when you'll just fail? But those questions just might be washed away when she coincidentally meets a boy by the name of Natsume Hyuuga, who just happens to be a billionaire child-genius. What will happen to these two? Read to find out.

**Only a Burden – **

Mikan Sakura, a 13-year-old female, is a patient at Alice's Hospital – A.K.A the hospital for those who are doomed to die. She writes a poem about her sorrow. A sad story and a lesson to all. One-shot.

**Who I Am Inside – **

Hotaru has hurt Mikan's feelings for the umpteenth time in her life. _Why?_ She asks herself. _Why can't I even be nice to my best friend?_ This is a one-shot that touches the heart to the very core.

**Tainted Water – **

Mikan and Natsume are 16 now, and nothing has changed between them. They're still fighting, fighting, fighting. But whenever Mikan asks him if he likes her even a tiny bit, he always says "No." Mikan feels as if her heart is breaking. But what happens when she writes a poem about lies and tainted water? A short one-shot for those out there who have been lied to.

**Searching for You – **

Things are not always going to be the same for the two newcomers at Alice Academy. Being the previous heartthrobs at the mysterious school of Devia Academy, they expect nothing different from the girls of this new prestigious school. But the mysterious Kaito Sakura of this strange place just keeps stealing the attention from them with his rare, and equally powerful, B.O.S.S. Alice. (A.K.A. Borrow, Obliterate, Steal, and Save Alice) But who exactly is this person, and what secret is he hiding? And is he even a guy?

Natsume came to Alice Academy to pursue the beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with a year before. He had no idea why she had left him so suddenly, and he couldn't stand thinking about her, until he finally found out where she had taken refuge to: Alice Academy. Here's when the wild chase starts, and will Natsume ever find his beloved Mikan through all the obstacles he encounters? And what about that Kaito Sakura? Who is he?

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! SATISFACTION GUARENTEED!!!!**


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